Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps

The Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps is an all-age or senior drum and bugle corps based in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Buccaneers (who are also known by the nickname "The Bucs") are charter members of Drum Corps Associates. They are currently sponsored in part by the Behler-Hein American Legion Post # 637 of Hamburg, PA, the Ray A. Master American Legion Post #217 in Topton, PA, many businesses in the Reading and Berks County area, the Buccaneer Alumni Association [http://www.readingbuccaneers.org/alumni/] , and devoted fans. [cite web|url=http://www.readingbuccaneers.org/season.php?pageid=season/stories/2007/20070903|title=Corps Sponsorship |accessdate=2007-09-02|date=2007-12-04]

History

Pre-DCA (VFW/American Legion)

The Reading Buccaneers were formed in 1957 as a parade corps for WWII veterans. A field corps was formed in 1958 competing in the VFW circuit. The Reading Buccaneers captured the VFW championship in 1960, 1961, and 1962. The Reading Buccaneers were the last drum and bugle corps to win the VFW championship as the award was retired in 1962.

Modern Years (DCA)

In 1965, The Reading Buccaneers became a charter member of Drum Corps Associates. The Buccaneers won the first DCA Open Class World Champions in 1965. They have since repeated seven times, in 1968, 1979, 1980, 2005, 2006, 2007, their 50th anniversary, and most recently in 2008. The corps has also placed second seven times (1973, 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1999, and 2001) and third seven times (1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 2000, 2002, and 2004). They have missed being a DCA finalist only twice.

Traditions

* The official corps nickname is The Balance in Blue because of the variety of musical styles they have presented over the years, although the corps has programmed mostly classical choices since the late 1990s. [cite web|url=http://www.readingbuccaneers.org/nostalgia.php|title=Corps Nickname|accessdate=2007-12-04|date=2007-12-04]
* The official corps symbol is a ship's wheel in blue with a falchion laid horizontal with the name of the corps. [cite web|url=http://www.readingbuccaneers.org/season.php?pageid=season/stories/2007/20070705|title=Corps Symbol|accessdate=2007-12-04|date=2007-12-04]
* The official corps song is sung to the theme of "An Affair to Remember". "Beyond the Sea" is also an unofficial corps song. [cite web|url=http://www.readingbuccaneers.org/nostalgia.php?pageid=nostalgia/donny/corpssong|title=Corps Song|accessdate=2007-12-04|date=2007-12-04]

=DCA Championships=

1965

The corps won the very first DCA championship with a score of 84.50 [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=1965] .

1968

The corps won their second DCA championship, becoming the first DCA corps to win a second DCA title [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=1968] .

1979

Led by future DCA Hall of Fame drum major George N. Parks, the Bucs captured the last DCA title of the 1970s with a score of 90.5 [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=1979] .

1980

The Bucs pulled off a repeat with a score of 91.3 [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=1980] .

2005

With new uniforms, new instruments in all sections, and a full hornline playing on instruments in the key of B-flat, the Buccaneers finished their first undefeated season, cruising to victory with the second-highest score in DCA history, 98.45. The show, entitled "Variations in B", featured Georges Bizet's Farandole, Béla Bartók's [String Quartet No. 4 (Bart%C3%B3k)|String Quartet No. 4 - Movement 5, Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=1960] .

2006

After coming off an undefeated season, the corps emerged victorious with another undefeated season with "Exotic Impressions" including the Ravel's Bol%C3%A9ro, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol, Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune and Scheherazade, with a score of 97.238 [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=2006] .

2007

Celebrating the corps' 50th anniversary [cite web|url=http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=45927|title=50th Anniversary Article |accessdate=2007-12-03|date=2007-06-17] , the Buccaneers again finished another undefeated to capture their third consecutive DCA title. The show, entitled "Blue Era", also gave the Bucs the third-highest score in DCA history, a 98.313. The show consisted of Aaron Jay Kernis' New Era Dance, Aaron Copland's The Promise of Living, Alberto Ginastera's Malambo, and George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=1&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=2007] .

2008

At the 2008 DCA Championships, the Buccaneers tied the Brigadiers' record by winning their fourth consecutive championship with a fourth consecutive undefeated season, and earned the Buccaneers the highest prelims score in history, a 98.138, and a final score of 97.913. The show, entitled "The Pursuit of Joy", consisted of Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D, David Holsinger's Abram's Pursuit, Giacomo Puccini's Nessun Dorma, and Ludwig von Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

Famous Alumni

* George Parks, founder of the George Parks Drum Major Academy [http://www.drummajor.org/] , frequent clinician with Bands of America, and director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band.
* Al Chez, lead trumpet in Paul Shaffer's band on Late Show with David Letterman.
* Frank J. Ferraro, Music arranger and music director of the Reading Buccaneers, 1959 til 1971. Supervisor of Music, Wilson School District, Graduate of West Chester University and Columbia University. Music adjudicator for DCA and Cavalcade of Bands.

References

External links

* [http://www.readingbuccaneers.org/ Official Site]
* [http://alumni.readingbuccaneers.org/ Buccaneer Alumni Association]
* [http://drumcorpswiki.com/Reading_Buccaneers Future DrumCorpsWiki Article]
* [http://www.corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=scorecorps&corpsid=1&corpstype=Senior Reading Buccaneers historical scores]
* [http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?view=corpsdet&corps=1&corpstype=Senior Reading Buccaneers historical repertoires]
* [http://www.dcacorps.org/ Drum Corps Associates]